Mechanical ear for trolley-wires.



No. 844,792. PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907.

E. B. GILMORE.

MBGHANICAL EAR FOR TROLLEY WIRES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13, 1906.

v I 6 51mm. 4 mz/zz z/w UNITED STATES PATIENT @IEFICE.

MECHANICAL EAR FOR TROLLEY-WIFIES.

Application filed January 13 To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, EDWARD E. GILMORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in aMechanical Ear for Irolley-\\"ires, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to supporting devices for electrical conductors,and more especial] to those devices known in the art as mechanical ears,and in this instance to those used for 4/0 grooved trol ley-wi res.

The object of the invention is to provide a sim )le, cheap, andeffective ear or clamp for hol ing and supporting electrical conductors,and particularly for the bare conductors used on electrical railways.

A further object of the invention is to prode means whereby the wire issecurely and imnly grasped between the jaws, with provision fortightening the jaws at any time should they become loose upon the wires.

Heretofore devices of this character have been designed without anythought as to the future as regards the wear and tear caused by thetrolley-wheel passing over. If, for instance, a trolley-pole headbecomes tight, the wheel will tend to run to one side on the wire. andwhen it strikes the point at which the ear is located it causesconsiderable wear that tends to loosen the grip of the jaws upon thewire. This would be liable to cause accidents, sometimes of a seriousnature.

My invention is designed to obviate the above-mentioned difficulties;and to this end it consists in certain features of novelty that will behereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in theappended claim.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the conductor of the type used,and 2 and 3 the two jaws of the clamp. As each of these jaws are similarin all respects and have no right or left, it is evident that itrequires only one mold to make both castings, and a de scription of onewill be sufficient for both. The inner face of the jaw is flat, with theexception of the lower or gripping end, which is Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

, 1906. Serial No. 295,912.

I flared out to receive the conductor 1 and is provided at its end witha tongue 4, adapted to enter the groove 5 in the body of the conlductor. At each end of the jaw a portion of l the body is bent back orformed in the cast 4 ing so as to constitute a flange 6, which lies Iparallel with the body of the jaw andprojects backward towardtheopposite end of the jaw. Midway of each aw 2 and 3 is an enlargedlportion 7, which constitutes one-half of a l conical hub extendingabove the body of the ljaw. Each half is provided with internal 1screw-threads which mate l screw-threads in the opposite portion 7. Toclamp the conductor, the two jaws are placed with their inner facestogether and with the tongues 4 engaging the groove 5 of the conductor1, as shown in Fig. 3. The

until the end of the body of each jaw is engaged by the flange 6. Thisclamps the conductor and at'the same time locks the jaw together so faras .lateral movement is concerned, and brings the two sides of theconical hub together, so that the internal screwthreads of each portion7 will aline. I now place a sleeve or cap 8, having a conical aperture9, over the conical hub formed by the r portions 7 and force it intoengagement with l the hub by screwing the hanger or bolt 10 l down uponthe top of the cap. This not only makes an excellent support, but allowsl for tightening of the jaws upon the conductor 1 at any time it isnecessary.

In practice the hangers l0 are usually coni nectcd to an insulator ofany suitable type and through the insulator to the cross-arm l orsupporting-wire of the trolley-post. l The cap 8 is slotted at 1] oneither side, so j as to allow it to pass down and straddle both of thejaws 2 3. This allows any amount of i adjustment which may be necessaryvents rotation of the cap.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is- In a mechanical ear for trolley-wires the Icombination with a pair of jaws, of tongues on each of said jaws, saidtongues being preand prejaws are then slipped endwise on each other.

with similar sented in opposite directions and adapted to i In testimonywhereof I have afiixed my lock the j ews zipi fdixgst reative literalmovesignature in presence of two witnesses.

ment, a conica u an a ea or engaging said hub for locking the jawsagainst rein- EDWARD GILMORE tive longitudinal movement said cap beingWitnesses:

slotted to engage the jaws to prevent its -1'o- JAs. HEYWOOD,

tatiom DAVID M. ASHLEY

